Two US Nationals, Iraqi Translator Shot Dead in Central Iraq

[Beetwasher]

HILLA, Iraq (AFP) - Two US government employees and their Iraqi interpreter were shot dead in central Iraq (news - web sites), while an errant US mortar round killed one Iraqi civilian.

--snip--

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1512&e=5&u=/afp/iraq_unrest

[Gloria]

1. This AM I heard a report from the BBC's Robin Lustig, who does the

Sunday Talking Point show, which I heartily recommend.

He summarized his main points: 1) how the Iraqis want the Americans OUT.
2)security issues, which threaten the future.

The city is full of traffic jams and parts of it look "normal" with businesses doing well.....But, it is NOT NORMAL. Because, as he reported, every night he's been there, there is gunfire in Central Baghdad. There is the growing concern about the disparity between the poor and those doing OK economically since the Americans arrived. He interviewed unemployed men and women. There is anywhere from 30-70% unemployment now. People feel it is much worse than under Saddam...there are more beggar children in the streets, for sure.

My comment:
This is a situation that sounds an awful lot like Saudi Arabia or Egypt....massive unemployment which means threats to any government that is in place...

[TacticalPeek]

2. "an awful lot like Saudi Arabia or Egypt"?

Approaching Lebanon.

"Near the Syrian border, two Iraqi police officers eating at a restaurant
in the town of Al-Qayim were shot dead by six gunmen who fled the
scene and have not been caught."

[Gloria]

3. Actually, a few weeks back I posted an article in the WMW about

a place in Saudi Arabia near the border that is going wild with killings...Some officials claim its strictly a family thing...but in reality, it is a real threat to the Saudi gov. there and there is fear that it will spread....

The whole place is just a brewing cauldron of potential and present disaster....

But...in terms of unemployment, the numbers in Iraq are sky high which is another source of instability in Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Mubarak in Egypt is ill and there is now a lot of unrest over the possible succession of his son. Mubarak claims this is not the plan, but the signs are pointing to that being the scenario. This is another potential source of real problems erupting when Mubarak Sr. exits....